The present invention relates generally to improvements in aircraft mounted missiles or other launchable weapons systems, and more particularly to a novel extendable rail, tangentially or flush mounted weapons launch system for aircraft.
In existing aircraft supported launchable weapons systems, a primary emphasis has been placed on streamlining weapon stores and supporting racks mounted exterior of the aircraft to maximize aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft and to reduce drag. Existing structures configured for launching weapons from an aircraft suffer from one or more inadequacies manifest in operation at high flight dynamic pressures. Aerodynamic forces on existing flush mounted weapons tend to hold the weapon against the aircraft at launch. Ejection launch and one or two point weapon support therefore combine to allow potential contact between weapon and aircraft immediately upon launch. Existing extendable weapon launch systems generally are characterized by complex and time consuming reload or off-load procedures and functional safety checks because of obstructed access to aircraft/weapon interfaces, are susceptible of single point failure when mounted in tandem, and exhibit excessive drag in association with thin wing supersonic aircraft.
The present invention solves or substantially reduces in critical importance the problems with existing systems by providing an extendable and retractable weapon launch system for an aircraft carrying flush mounted weapons. The invention is especially suited for missiles having folded deployable fins and provides rail launch of weapons as opposed to ejection launch included in most existing systems. The invention includes a weapons rack having a pair of slotted support rails pivotally attached to the aircraft whereby the weapon can be carried flush against a surface of the aircraft, such as the underside of a wing, and extended to a launch position. A plurality of weapons may be mounted in tandem and selectively launched in any sequence. Optimum aerodynamic efficiency therefore characterizes the aircraft prior to weapon extension with favorable aerodynamic forces on the weapon at launch. A substantially flush (low drag, low observable) surface on the aircraft after weapon launch is provided at weapon attachment points with minimum space requirements in the aircraft surface for enclosing the stored extension mechanism. The invention allows rapid and efficient turn around and reload capability, and is compatible with existing rail launched weapons or with other gravity or ejection launched weapons.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an extendable rail weapon launch system for aircraft.
It is another object of the invention to provide an extendable rail launch system for tandem mounted weapons.
It is another object of the invention to provide an extendable weapon launch system for aircraft the surfaces of which are substantially clean of pylons or other appendages.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a system for tandem mounted weapons on aircraft including selective launch of the weapons in any sequence.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description of representative embodiments proceeds.